Bidirectional support

The MFS Editor supports bidirectional options for Arabic and Hebrew device format definitions. Some features apply only to Arabic format definition, as indicated in the documentation. By default, bidirectional support is not enabled.

Note: All bidirectional message definitions must have UTF-8 text file encoding.

Enabling bidirectional support

To work with Arabic and Hebrew device formats, you must enable bidirectional support in the Preferences window. Enabling this functionality adds a bidirectional mode button to the Design page and options to the Design pop-up menu. Status bar information is provided when directly editing a field.

Enable the bidirectional settings that you want before you close the Preferences window.

Bidirectional preferences

The following bidirectional settings are available:
  • Enable visual data ordering Sets the visual ordering of text, instead of the default logical ordering.
  • Enable bidirectional settings button Places a Toggle bidirectional mode button on the Design page toolbar.
  • Default RTL orientation Sets a right-to-left text flow in the display. This preference simulates how data is displayed on a 3270 terminal when the screen is reversed. This option enables the design of reversed (right-to-left) screens.
  • Default right alignment Causes fields added in the Design page to be right-aligned. In the source file right-aligned fields are padded with leading spaces.
  • Enable symmetric swapping Resets swappable characters automatically. In a right-to-left string, for example, the parentheses characters ( and ) are reversed.
  • Enable numeric swapping Automatically sets an inversion of the screen, which causes Hindi numerals to be replaced by their Arabic counterparts and Arabic numerals to be replaced by their Hindi counterparts.

Visual input key functions

Visual input key functions allow visual input in input fields and the initial values for labeled input fields and tables. The following table shows the key functions and key combinations that involve the number pad that are available if you enable visual data ordering in the preferences.
Table 1. Visual input key functions
Key function Description Key combination
Push Starts a segment of reversed text and reverts the direction of the cursor. Text is pushed toward the end of the field, and the cursor remains stationary. Shift+NumLock
EndPush Terminates the current segment of reversed text. The cursor skips to the end of the segment, and its direction is restored. Shift+/
AutoPush Enables the Push and EndPush functions to be automatically invoked, based on the actual text entered. Alt+/
FieldReverse Reverses the typing direction and the direction of functions such as Backspace, Delete, Home, and End. However, the function does not visually invert the contents of the field. Alt+NumLock
Switch between input of Arabic/Hindi Numerals Switches numerals input between Arabic and Hindi. Alt+*

Status bar information

When you click a device format component in the design canvas, the following bidirectional information is displayed in the status bar:
  • Orientation of the current device format

    Status displays either LTR (left-to-right) or RTL.

  • Autopush flag

    Status displays A when Autopush is enabled (visual mode only).

  • The current editing mode.
    The following mode labels can be displayed independently or in combination.
    • None

      No bidirectional mode options are enabled.

    • Push

      Push mode is enabled.

    • FldRev

      Field Reverse is enabled.

    • Hindi

      Input is Hindi numerals (Arabic only).

Editing bidirectional text

Use the LPEX editor for bidirectional data in Smart Logical format. It is also possible to edit bidirectional data in the MFS Editor Source view, using the Ctrl+NumLock key combination on the selected line.